Friday 10 June 2011

Words of Wisdom - -

The lovely Shimelle is once again encouraging us. As you probably know dear readers - I am an alumni of many of Shimelle's classes - and my most recently completed class - Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers has been an enormous boost to my confidence and I hope improved some of my blog content - (and I really would highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't taken the class) so today - thanks to Shimelle who has so kindly invited us to participate in her latest sortie into blogland - it's 10 on the Tenth.
Oh cool thinks I - so exciting - I can share my holiday snaps - er no! - still taking some of them!!
I can scan 10 pages from my last album - er no! not at home - remember???
I can list the books by my bed - er no! on that one too - can't remember ten titles!!
so all these ideas are not too practical for this month -  so being on holiday - today I share with you - -

Wise words - - - that I would like my children to remember. I have been collecting words all my life and those of you who have visited me more than once will probably know of this passion of mine. Sadly I am not sure I have passed it on to my children but I have included these quotes (along with lots of others) here and there through the albums recording their lives that we call scrapbooks - in the hopes that  they may just take the occasional note of them, enjoy the scraps of poetry or just the music of the words themselves. I hope you enjoy some of them - feel free to make use of them in your own albums if they appeal to you.
  • A Bag of Tools -
Isn't it strange that princes and kings
And clowns that caper in sawdust rings
And common folk like you and me
Are the builders of eternity.
To each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass and a book of rules;
And each must make, ere time is flown,
A stumbling-block or a stepping-stone.. RL Sharpe
  • Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.. Albert Camus
  • Reach for the moon, for if you fall you will land amongst the stars.
    • Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.. Anon
    • Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.. Henry Van Dyke
    • Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up.. Jesse Jackson 
    • Sing as if no one is listening, Dance as if no one is watching,  Laugh til you ache with mirth, Love like there's no tomorrow and live as if heaven's on earth.
        • You can dance anywhere, even if only in your heart.. Author Unknown 
        • Music is what feelings sound like.. Authur Unknown
        • Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.. Maya Angelou 
        I am sure there will be many more interesting posts on this today in blogland - find them here. As always, its lovely to have you stop by.
        'til later
        Bannaghtyn J x

            Sunday 5 June 2011

            Tea Party at the shop -- Storytelling Sunday

            The shop was busy - it often was on a Saturday morning - and the small girl trotted purposefully after her granny as she went from the kitchen to the shop to serve her customers. She watched shyly from the doorway, wide eyed - as granny weighed potatoes, sliced bacon, weighed sugar or added home made cakes to paper bags for the women coming in for their weekly shop.
            A steady stream of customers meant that cheerful banter was tossed back and forth over the counter - the housewives wanting groceries, men buying cigarettes and tobacco, children with halfpennies and pennies for weekend treats - Black Jacks, Fruit Salad (8 for a penny), Spanish and Kali (2oz for tuppence), Cadbury's Chocolate, Frys Five Boys, Shoelaces or 2oz of peardrops, sarsaparilla tablets, Uncle Joe's mintballs or caramels. To the little girl watching from the doorway between the kitchen and the shop it seemed like whole world came to granny's shop on a Saturday morning.
            Soon it would be time to close - when she knew she would be able to have friends come to play with her in the backyard of the shop. It was a very large backyard - a rarity amongst these narrow streets surrounding the land which had once housed the mill - now blitzed -  and the little girls of the neighbourhood loved to play there, even though they were all older than J-------. They were accustomed to skipping on the cobbles, or making swings on the arms of a lamp post, however the yard was flagged - smooth and level - where they could play "house" and have tea parties, in what felt like luxury! There was a very large gate - it kept the boys out so they couldn't tease or get in the way with footballs!!
            The shop bell tinkled and the door opened again to reveal two children, a fair child about 8 years old and a younger dark child with black curls and deep brown eyes, perhaps about 5,  followed by a smiling woman, her hair in a turban made from a scarf - "Here they are Janey." she said pushing the children forward slightly. "Oh hello Nellie" said granny - "come on in then" she beamed at the children as they scampered round the counter to the back of the shop and through to the kitchen. J------- squealed with delight to see them and hurriedly gathered together her dolls, crayons and a miniature tea set - thrusting them into the older children's hands as all three scampered outside - to find a small table and chairs already waiting for them.
            The table was soon set - and much fun was had on that Saturday afternoon over fifty five years ago, as the three little girls, 8, 5 & 3  played with dolls, teddies, colouring books and crayons and had a tea party - totally enjoying the sunny afternoon, the sanctuary of the yard - (the boys with their football could be heard at the other side of the gate) whilst the gap between their ages just disappeared. . . . .

            I was that 3 year old - and I can no longer remember any further details of that afternoon captured in this photo - I only remember that Aunty Nellie lived across the street from my granny's shop and that she was Elaine's mummy and that Kathleen lived next door to them and her parents were - I think - Irish. My granny's shop is no more -  - nor is the mill land - not even the streets remain - yet I was aware of such a strong sense of community there. I remember Maydays, the May Queen, a Maypole, costumes made from crepe paper, Whit Walks, Bonfire Nights - all community activities that all the street seemed to be involved in - yet I moved away from this area when I was 5 years old.
            What a street party there would have been for that Royal Wedding in April this year!

            Thanks for stopping by - this post is brought to you courtesy of Sian's Storytelling Sunday
            and this months stories can all be found here.  

            'til later

            Bannaghtyn J x

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